Local Surf / Reports, Photos, Weather, News

Feb 24, 2008 Swell: Better Than Expected

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

The swell that came in on Sunday the 24th had the rare honor of being more powerful than most expected. Although surf reports were tracking the relatively closely generated swell with plenty of West in it, it certainly came in stronger and faster than expected. Just as quickly as this swell arrived it was gone. Although Monday was still holding in the overhead ranges at most spots, the Tuesday dawn patrols were disappointing by comparison.

Feel free to send any photos, videos, or stories (or links to them) about this swell.

Update Mar 6:
Even the local Realtors are getting into the action, William Etling has a listing for these Gaviota Coast photos from the last big swell.

Also Callie Bowdish has a lot of nice photos up from Campus on Feb 25.

Update Mar 5:
Tom's wife took a few photos while he was out at Campus Point on Sunday afternoon. The photos are on his picasa page here.

Tom Poss also took some photos on Monday at Campus point which are at the bottom of his surf photos page (here and here are some examples.)


Update Feb 27:

Tom at Goleta Surfing once again is on top of the surf in Goleta on this day, which he called "Hairy Sunday."


A different Tom has some photos of Stearns Wharf and Campus Point on his site. You've got to go down the Surf Page until you see the photo titled: "Surfers at El Ca...." to get to the start of the photos for this swell. Some of the highlights, 1, 2, 3, 4.



Original posts Feb 26:
Ethan Stewart over at the Independent does a nice job of summarizing the swell's effect on the local beaches. You read all about the closure at Stearn's Wharf, the rogue wave at the Harbor, and the rescues that kept Harbor Patrol busy.

Jon Shafer has a great synopsis of the swell from his vantage at Rincon, including some great photos of how large it was there. (Photo: Jon Shafer)

Several contributors at Edhat have captured the some of the swell in photos and words. Betsy R. Cramer, David Powdrell, and William Etling were among the contributors.

Somehow Adam Gray's Goleta Surf escaped our notice, but he has some content up about Sunday in Goleta and this will be a good site to keep in the quiver. Word is Tom over at Goleta Surfing is working on getting something up on his site also.
link to this

Feast or Famine In Latest Swell

Monday, February 18, 2008

A solid weekend+ of surf from a long period westerly swell had Santa Barbara all abuzz with the surf. Some personal experiences had big crowds and long lulls, forcing sessions at some creative spots with much lower makability quotients. Things were a little weird on some of the beaches, old standbys not quite catching the swell as good as some of it's less surfed neighbors.

Goleta Surfing
GoletaSurfing.com has it's 1 year birthday, and has posted over 1000 photos and kept on the scene in the Goleta surf world. Recent content on Goleta Surfing is some great coverage of a Volcom surf contest along the Central Coast that Goleta boy Bobby Morris (pictured right courtesy Goleta Surfing) won. It's three pages so don't forget to check out the 2nd and third pages too.

Goleta Surfing also has some other February surf photos of a chilly Depressions sunset session(page has sound). One has to love the running commentary on these great pages put together by Goleta Surfing.

Tristan Prettyman
She's not from Santa Barbara (San Diego in fact), but Tristan Prettyman is a singer/songwriter/surfer that might be of interest. She'll be on the cover of the next issue of FOAM, will be touring with GLove, and has a new album "hello" out in April.

Conner Coffin Surfer of the Week
SB's Conner Coffin was the NSSA Surfer of the Week last week.

Age: 14

Hometown: Santa Barbara, CA

School: Carpenteria High School

Sponsors: Hurley, Al Merrick, Sex Wax, Globe, Hoven, Da Kine, Future, A Frame

Claim to Fame: In epic 4-6 foot surf conditions at Seaside Reef, Conner showed off his explosive backside surfing skills winning the Juniors division at the Open Season event #5 in a vast field of 78 surfers. But what's more impressive was the 14-year-old's strong performance in the elite and fiercely competitive Open Men's category where he took third in the final. Riding his new Dane Reynolds Proton model, Conner's dynamic vertical attack on Seaside's reeling left walls made a powerful statement.

link to this

2008 Rincon Classic

Thursday, February 14, 2008

The 25th Annual Rincon Classic put on by Surf Happens is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, February 23 & 24th, 2008. Plan on surfing, watching, or going to one of the surrounding events.

This all-ages “aloha event,” celebrates the sport of surfing within our community and is also designed as a fund raiser for local charities Hugs For Cubs, Heal The Ocean, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, and the Surf Happens Foundation. Entry fees are $40 per division + mandatory insurance fee. Sign up at surfhappens.com before Wednesday February 20th.

This year’s event has the richest prize and cash purse to date with more than $15,000 in amazing prizes up for grabs for contestants. All trophies are organic and handmade by local artists and capture the essence of the Rincon experience. In addition to our regular divisions, check out the Red Bull Air Show, Bud Light Pro, and the 3rd Annual Brandon Yates Expression Session.

Rincon Classic Hugs For Cubs Benefit Concert
Featuring The Upbeat
Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Carpinteria Women’s Center
1059 Vallecito Rd.
9:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
$10 at the door

25th Anniversary Rincon Classic Silent Auction and Awards Ceremony
Sunday, Feb. 24
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and the Endless Summer Bar & Grill
6:30-10:00 p.m.
$10 at the door (includes 1 meal ticket and 3 raffle tickets)
*Contestants enter for free.

The Silent Auction features some absolutely amazing items including: A week in Costa Rica courtesy of Costa Vacation Homes & Rentals, A nine-foot signed Robert August Longboard, A Custom Ibanez Guitar complete with Solar Carving courtesy of Jensen’s Guitar and Brian Chandler, Artwork by Aubrey Falk and Robert Heeley, a Classic cruiser bike from Nirve, Wine, Camille products, Learn to surf packages by Surf Happens, Roxy and Quiksilver Packages, A “green” wetsuit courtesy of Matuse, gear by Patagonia, Wetsand, and Simple, Skateboard by Surf One, and much more. In addition, there is a huge raffle with many wonderful prizes! Live Music by Deepakalypse as heard in the Dane Reynolds movie!

The event features a 25 year slideshow hosting a montage of images from many of the areas top photographers including, David Puu, John Nordstrand, Scott Starr, Paul Mann, Bill Tover, and others. Check out this piece of history as generations of the areas best surfers enjoy Rincon perfection over the course of the Rincon Classic’s legacy.

There will also be the world premier of Jahmin Lerim’s 2007 Rincon Classic movie with a bonus special documentary as well.

Sneak Peak At The New Surfing Exhibit At The SB Maritime: This will be the first sneak peak of the new SBMM exhibit that will be launching it’s official grand opening on March 27.

link to this

Bustin Down The Door Free Screening

Friday, February 08, 2008

This just in, Bustin Down The Door will show at the Riveria Theater this Saturday, February 9th at 7pm for FREE.

“Bustin Down the Door”, a new surf movie co-produced by Montecito resident and former World Champion surfer Shaun Tompson debuted at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and has a huge positive response from the community.

The film is framed around the emerging careers of surfing’s earliest World Champions Peter Townend (1976), Shaun Tomson (1977), Wayne Bartholomew (1978), Mark Richards (1979- 82) and shepard of the sport Ian Cairns (all of who were in attendance). The film documents how the vision and talents of these surfers ignited a cultural revolution that led to the birth of professional surfing.

link to this

Puddles In The Sky

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Matt Kleiner of 'The Glas' has directed a new surf movie, "Puddles in The Sky" which is coming out on DVD soon. Check out the trailer above (or on youtube) and the scoop below. We think we saw our man Bobby Morris in the trailer. (Update: Kleiner confirms Goleta surfers Bobby Morris and Andrew Bennett are featured in the movie.)

Shot entirely in vivid high definition the movie delivers stunning imagery from Indonesia, Australia, the Hawaiian Islands as well as North and Central America. Puddles in the Sky is set for release March 25th 2008 on DVD, available through Mutiny Media.

link to this


Santa Barbara Surfing. Created by Tim Maddux. Continued by Pope.